Manual transmissions formed as an automated range-change transmission with a multi-stage main transmission and a post-shift group drivingly connected downstream on the main transmission, particularly designed as a range group, and/or a pre-shift group drivingly connected upstream on the main transmission, particularly designed as a split group, are known from DE 10 2007 010 829 A1 and are used, for example, in commercial vehicles. Through a two-stage-designed split group, for example, with one gear ratio jump corresponding to roughly half of one medium-sized gear ratio jump between two successive gear ratio steps of the main transmission, the gear ratio jumps of the main transmission are halved, and the total number of available gears is doubled. For example, through a two-stage range group with one gear ratio jump lying roughly around one medium-sized gear ratio jump between two successive gear ratio steps of the main transmission over the entire gear ratio jump of the main transmission, the spread of the range-change transmission is roughly doubled, and the total number of available gears is once again doubled. The split group may be upstream or downstream along the main transmission, and therefore may be designed as a pre-shift group or a post-shift group. Likewise, the range group may be upstream or downstream along the main transmission, and therefore may be designed as a pre-shift group or a post-shift group. Automated manual transmissions that have positively working shift elements are distinguishable from automated power shift transmissions with frictionally working shift elements.
The present invention relates to an automated range-change transmission that includes at least one main transmission and one pre-shift group preferably designed as a split group. Optionally, there may be a post-shift group.
With the automated range-change transmission known from the state of the art, the main transmission has a lay-shaft design, and comprises a main shaft and at least one lay shaft. The pre-shift group and the post-shift group (if present) may likewise have a lay-shaft design. If an automated range-change transmission is integrated into a drive train of a motor vehicle, an input shaft of the automated range-change transmission, i.e. the pre-shift group, is preferably connected through a controllable starting clutch to the drive unit, and an output shaft of the automated range-change transmission is connected to an axle drive.
If the drive unit is designed as a pure internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is, as already mentioned, preferably coupled through the starting clutch with the input shaft of the range-change transmission.
If the drive unit is designed as a hybrid drive with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, the electric motor is shifted either under the provision of a so-called “crankshaft starter generator” (KSG arrangement) between the internal combustion engine and the starting clutch, or under the provision of a so-called “integrated starter generator” (ISG arrangement) between the starting clutch and the input shaft of the range-change transmission
Electrodynamic drive systems with an electric motor and a planetary transmission are known from each of DE 199 34 696 A1, DE 10 2008 043 341 A1 and EP 0 986 713 B1, whereas, according to EP 0 986 713 B1 and DE 10 2008 043 341 A1, each electrodynamic drive system encompasses or comprises the particular entire transmission.